Developed by the Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC) at Oragadam, Chennai, the facility was inaugurated by Union Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Minister, Anant G Geete.
GARC will function under the guidance of the NATRiP (National Automotive Testing & R&D Infra Project). With an overall investment of Rs 963 crore, this is the largest endeavour under NATRiP so far. GARC, will be one of six such facilities developed under NATRiP. It covers 304 acres and is home to a host of automotive test facilities. It has a test track that covers three-fourths of the total land area - the total cost of the test tracks project is Rs 193.25 crore. There are five types of tracks - high speed track (HST), gradient or hill track, external noise track (ENT), braking surface track (BST) and steering pad.
This facility even houses a steering pad track, external noise test tracks, hill test tracks with varying gradients, ABS test tracks with different friction surfaces and a 4.5km-long high-speed test track for homologation activities.
Its homologation test facilities, include test tracks, for certification of all types of vehicles, systems and components to meet both national and international standards. The operational laboratories include the mileage accumulation chassis dynamometer, pedestrian safety lab, photometry lab, safety component lab, vibration shaker lab and RDU.
The facility’s proximity to major automobile manufacturers is a bonus. Hyundai Motor India, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, Renault, Nissan, Ford India, BMW India all have factories nearby, and so do several leading Indian and foreign component manufacturers. The government of India recently notified GARC as an authorised test agency for Type Approval and Homologation Testing under Rule No.126 of CMVR.
GARC is now notified under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 to issue test certificates for homologation.